All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted indirect mode for the Governorship Primary Election in Ondo state.
In a direct primary election, registered members of the party just vote for who they want to be the flag-bearer of their party, while in an indirect primary election, party members elect delegates who in turn elect the party’s candidates on their behalf.
Chairman of the Election Committee and Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello declared the chosen mode of primary on Friday.
He spoke with newsmen at the National Secretariat in Abuja shortly after his committee was inaugurated by the National Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni.
Eleven of the 12 aspirants kicked against indirect primary, insisting it confers undue advantage on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who is seeking reelection.
However, Bello said it is the prerogative of the party to determine the mode of the primary and not up to the aspirants.
According to him;
The issue of the mode of primary, this has been settled by the previous NWC and ratified by NEC, which gives the opportunity to the state executive committee to choose the mode of primary that they would want. This has been settled.
The Ondo Primary election would be conducted via indirect mode. This was the option chosen by the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party in the last meeting. So, we are going for indirect primary.
He added;
I was once a contestant and I had opponents and from what I have come to realise, it is not within the purview of contestants to choose rules of engagement. We follow laid down rules and regulations of the party.
Bello assured all aspirants of level playing ground, stating;
I know at the end of the day that every contestant in this election shall be treated fairly and credibly and we shall have a candidate that is going to be acceptable to all the contestants and the people of Ondo State and we shall come out victorious in the general elections.
Contestants for the primary are Governor Akeredolu, Joseph Iji, Segun Abraham, Olayide Adelami, Kekemeke Isaac and Olusola Oke.
Others are Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Odimayo John, Olajumoke Anifowoshe, Awodeyi Akinsehinwa, Olubukola Olarogha and Nathaniel Adojutelegan.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed October 10 for the governorship election in Ondo state.
